Violence mars Madhya Pradesh polls (Second Lead)

Bhopal, Nov 27 (IANS) Sporadic incidents of violence and violations of the model code of conduct marred the polling in the 230 assembly constituencies of Madhya Pradesh Thursday.Police sources said a convoy of the Congress candidate from Damoh, Chandrabhan Singh was allegedly attacked by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers at Imalia in Damoh.

In his complaint to the police, Singh alleged that he reached Imalia on being informed that liquor was being distributed by his opponents to influence voters. He claimed he was attacked and his vehicle ransacked by BJP workers.

Police said an EVM was damaged by two armed unidentified men in Tejpura village in Damoh. Polling was stopped at the booth and security forces were rushed there.

Additional Chief Electoral Officer Ashish Shrivastava said: “Twelve percent polling was recorded till 11.30 a.m. We have received reports of EVMs (electronic voting machines) being broken by miscreants in Bhind, Shivpuri and Datia, but this has not been confirmed. Polling was interrupted at certain places in Indore and Ujjain divisions due to power tripping.”

He added that polling had to be halted briefly at Burhanpur, Badwani, Bhind, Guna and Datia due to the malfunctioning of EVMs. The polling booths were reopened after the machines were replaced.

There were also reports of women voters being beaten up by miscreants in Morena district, and firing and booth capturing from Mahagaon constituency in Bhind district.

In Raisen district, some BJP and the Congress workers clashed but the situation was soon brought under control.